News About Usopp
by Kronikankirjoittaja
Summary: How people of Usopp's home village will react when they get news about their liar who became a pirate?
1. Departure

**I know that I have some stories in-progress but I couldn't resist to start writing this :).**

* * *

 **News About Usopp**

 **Chapter 1**

It was an unusual morning in the Syrup Village. Normally the village's troublemaker Usopp would had run across the village and shouted that pirates were coming. After this he would reveal that it was just a lie and then angry villagers would chase after him. But there were no sign of Usopp this morning. What could had made him skip his every morning commotion?

"The pirates are coming!"

Most of villagers frowned for confusion. That was exactly what Usopp shouted every morning but it wasn't his voice. Actually there were three voices and they belonged to much younger boys.

"The pirates are coming!"

Villagers glanced out to notice that the commotion was caused by Piiman, Ninjin and Tamanegi, boys who were always playing with Usopp.

"The pirates are coming!"

"Stop that!" shopkeeper shouted at the shop's door. "Why are you shouting and where's that lying brat?"

Boys stopped shouting and stood still when they were surrounded by villagers.

"What should we do now?" Ninjin asked from his friends.

"Captain always ran away after shouting," Tamanegi recalled.

"No, after shouting Captain always told to villagers that he was just lying. Only after that he ran away," Piiman knew.

Boys turned to face villagers and shouted in unision: "We were just lying!"

"We know!" fisherman snarled. "But where's that brat? We have waited hours for him."

Boys glanced at each others. This didn't go as planned. But since the boys had got villagers' attention, they decided to tell their news.

"Captain isn't here anymore," Piiman told.

"He told us that he has decided to become a pirate," Ninjin explained.

"He left this morning," Tamanegi said.

Villagers stared at boys with sceptical expressions.

"Do you really think that we would believe that?" bartender asked with bored expression.

"That's as ridiculous as Usopp's lie yesterday," woodcutter snorted.

"This is again one of his many lies, right?" fisherman asked.

Boys couldn't believe what they were hearing. Nobody believed them!

"But it's true!" Ninjin shouted.

"Yeah! Captain became a pirate this morning and he sailed away," Piiman and Tamanegi shouted but to boys frustration, villagers looked still sceptical.

"It's true," a soft voice said.

Everybody turned toward the direction of voice and noticed Kaya and her servant Merry walking to them.

"Kaya-sama?"

"Are you feeling better?" cobbler asked from Kaya.

"You still seems to be a little bit pale. Shouldn't you be resting?" seamstress asked with worried expression.

"I'm feeling better, thank you for asking," Kaya answered with friendly smile. "But that what boys told about Usopp-san is true. He really has become a pirate and left. Merry and I were seeing him off short time ago."

Villagers went silent and stared speechlessly at Kaya, Merry and boys. Then...

"Is he out of his mind?!" shopkeeper shouted.

"I knew that boy was a similar dreamer like his father but I wasn't excepting him to do the same mistake," pharmacist sighed.

"Why must he did something that stupid? And all alone?" shopkeeper's wife asked.

"He didn't leave alone," Kaya told. "He befriended with three youth who arrived in this island yesterday and he became their comrade."

"Do you mean those three youth who were eating in the restaurant?" cook asked with shocked expression when she remembered a straw hat wearing boy with huge appetite, orangehaired girl and greenhaired young man with three swords. "But they were so young! They couldn't be pirates!"

Villagers started to mutter with each other.

"What's wrong with kids these days?" baker asked.

"In the old times people disapproved becoming the pirate but nowadays people become criminals without further thinking," shopkeeper snarled.

"Everything is that Roger's fault. He filled people's minds with his speech about his treasure and encouraged them to become pirates," fisherman said.

"I'm sure that Usopp had thought this thoroughly before he made his decision," Merry said with smile. "Who knows, maybe someday he will become a famous pirate."

Villagers stared sceptically at Merry, which annoyed boys.

"Don't look like that!" Piiman snapped.

"Captain's friends are very strong and captain himself is amazing shooter!" Tamanegi shouted.

"Our captain can make lies into reality!" Ninjin informed.

But villagers were already returning back to their works.

"I really hope that Usopp remembered to take enough clothes with him," shopkeeper's wife said with worried expression.

"Here's going to be much quieter now that he is gone," bartender sighed.

"Dear, we need to get an alarm clock now," baker's wife said to her husband.

Kaya, Merry and boys watched as villagers scattered. Boys seemed still upset.

"Unbelievable! Captain became a pirate and this is their reaction?" Piiman snorted.

"I excepted them to burst into tears," Tamanegi said with disappointed expression.

"Looks like they don't understand captain's dream," Ninjin said.

"Don't worry," Kaya said to boys with smile. "I believe that villagers will respect his decision little bit more when Usopp-san become a brave warrior of sea."

Boys were visibly cheered up by Kaya's words but then Ninjin asked: "By the way, Kaya-san... What are you going to tell to villagers about Kuro? We promised to captain that we will not tell them about that pirate attack."

"I'm not yet sure what sould I tell them," Kaya said after thinking for a while. Then she smiled. "But looks like that I need to do just like Usopp-san and make a good lie."

"We can help you," Tamanegi promised.

"Yeah. Captain teached us to lie, so we can teach you lie fluently too," Piiman said.

Kaya laughed softly and Merry looked at boys with half-disapproving, half-amused expression.

 **To be continue...**

* * *

 **Alright, this was the first part this fanfiction. Hopefully you liked this :).  
**


	2. Photograph

**First I was unsure about this idea but I decided to give it a try. Hopefully you like this.**

* * *

 **News About Usopp**

 **Chapter 2**

It was a peaceful afternoon in Syrup Village and some of villagers enjoyed the day by eating lunch in the village's restaurant. Days had become quite quiet after Usopp had left the village although boys who used to play with Usopp continued his everyday tradition to lie that pirates were coming.

The silence ended suddenly when Piiman, Ninjin and Tamanegi rushed into the restaurant.

"Captain is in the wanted poster!" they shouted as Piiman waved a piece of paper in his hand.

Usually villagers didn't pay much attention to boys' noisiness, they were already used to it. But this time their shouting made villagers curious.

"He left over a week ago and he is already in trouble?" fisherman asked in surprise.

"Show me that wanted poster," said baker who had talked with cook about delivering the next batch of bread before boys appeared into the restaurant.

Piiman gave the paper to baker. He studied the paper for a moment and other waited curiously his reaction.

"This isn't Usopp's wanted poster," baker said as he frowned. Excited atmosphere that had appeared in the restaurant by the boys' announcement disappeared.

"You are right. It's that straw hat wearing boy," said cook as she studied the wanted poster beside the baker. Both of them turned their attention to boys. "Why you are so excited about this?"

"Our captain is in the poster too!" Tamanegi said.

"Yeah! He is at the bottom left corner of the photograph," Ninjin said as he pointed at the photo.

"May I see it?" cobbler asked. Baker gave the paper to cobbler who adjusted his glasses to study the photograph.

"Black hairs... overalls... familiar looking bandanna... It looks like Usopp. But the photograph has taken from behind so it's possible that it's somebody else," cobbler said as he gave the paper to fisherman and pharmacist to see.

"No, I know that's Usopp. We have chase after that brat so many times that it's easy to recognize him from back of his head," fisherman stated. Then he turned to face boys. "I don't understand why you are so excited to see back of Usopp's head in the photograph."

"Don't you read newspapers?" Tamanegi asked. "That guy's pirate group defeated Arlong Pirates!"

"And because our captain is part of that group, it means that he also was fighting against those fishmen!" Piiman explained eagerly.

Their eager smiles disappeared when villagers gave them sceptical looks. Some of them even had a nerve to laugh a little bit.

"Why are you looking at us like that?" Ninjin demanded.

"Usopp? Fighting? As if," baker said.

"You know that Usopp doesn't know how to fight," pharmacist said like it was self-evident. "Always when problems arise, he run away."

Boys stared at them with offended expressions.

"Captain knows how to fight!" Piiman shouted.

"With what? A slingshot and rubber bands?" fisherman asked with mocking tone. Boys heard how some of people laughed like they had heard a good joke and it made them even more angry.

"You just don't know what our captain capable of!" Ninjin shouted.

"Yeah! When a group of pi-" Tamanegi began but he fell silent when Piiman and Ninjin quickly kicked his ankles.

"You idiot!" Piiman hissed to Tamanegi's ear.

"We promised to captain that we wouldn't tell anybody about that pirate attack," Ninjin reminded quietly. Tamanegi's eyes widened a little bit when he remembered the promise they gave to Usopp and nodded his head quickly.

"Boys," cobbler said with sympathetic expression when he gave the wanted poster back to them. "I know that Usopp is your friend but you should be realistic. You know that Usopp isn't very strong or brave. These fights between pirate groups surely scares him, so it wouldn't be wonder that he would run away."

Boys stared angrily at villagers.

"Captain doesn't run away anymore," Piiman said.

"Captain wouldn't had gone to sea if he would be afraid," Ninjin informed as he took the wanted poster from cobbler.

"Someday captain will become a famous pirate and then he will get his own wanted poster!" Tamanegi shouted. After this boys left the restaurant.

* * *

Boys walked away from restaurant without specific destination. None of them said anything because all three of them were so upset how villagers underestimated their captain's skills.

"Villagers wouldn't think that way if they would know what kind of man our captain really is," Tamanegi muttered.

"Yeah. Although captain is a coward and liar, he is also very brave," Ninjin said as he stared at the back of Usopp's head in the photograph of Luffy's wanted poster.

"Someday we surely will prove to them that captain is a great pirate," Piiman said with determined expression.

"Boys!"

Boys stopped and they immediately felt little bit better when they noticed Kaya walking towards them.

"Good afternoon, Kaya-san," boys said in unision.

"Good afternoon, boys," Kaya said to them with friendly smile.

"Are you going for a walk, Kaya-san?" Tamanegi asked.

"Actually I'm on my way to a bookstore to buy medical books for my studies," Kaya explained.

"In that case we will escort you," Piiman offered.

"Thank you," Kaya said with smile. "Shopping trip will be much funnier in company."

Kaya and boys walked to the direction where they knew the bookstore was. While they walked, boys kept watch in case if somebody malevolent person would want to attack on Kaya. Although Usopp was at sea at the present time, boys didn't want to disappoint their former captain by being incompetent bodyguards.

After walking for a while Ninjin asked from Kaya: "Have you seen this wanted poster, Kaya-san?"

Kaya glanced at Luffy's wanted poster in Ninjin's hand. "Yes, I have. Merry showed it to me this morning."

"Have you also heard that they fought against fishmen?" Tamanegi asked eagerly. "We are sure that our captain was fighting there too!"

"But when we told about this to villagers, they just said that captain doesn't know how to fight and he would just run away," Piiman said with offended expression.

"Don't let their opinions dispirite you," she said to boys with sympathetic expression. "Although they doesn't yet believe in Usopp-san, we know that he is brave and ready to fight if necessary. And I know that someday Usopp-san will do something that makes villagers change their opinion of him."

Boys smiled, happy to hear that at least here was some people who believed in their captain.

"You are right, Kaya-san," Piiman said.

"When captain become the brave warrior of sea, villagers must admit that he is strong and brave," Ninjin said.

"Thank you, Kaya-san. You always know how to cheer us up," Tamanegi said.

Kaya smiled softly. It was always pleasure to her see boys being so happy.

Together they continued their trip towards the bookstore, now with more cheerful atmosphere than earlier.

 **To be continue...**


	3. Mask

**News About Usopp**

 **Chapter 3**

"Hurry up, guys!" Piiman shouted when boy trio ran towards their home village. "Villagers must hear about this!"

"That's right!" Tamanegi shouted back.

"Finally we have proof about our captain's courage," Ninjin shouted eagerly.

Boys ran to the village but before they had time to shout anything, they stopped suddenly when they almost ran into Mornin, the mayor of the village.

"Boys! Where are you going in such hurry?" Mornin asked with amused expression. "You are running like you would be late for something important."

"Good morning, mayor Mornin!" boys shouted in unision because their mothers had insist that they must be polite to mayor. Then Tamanegi added with eager expression: "It has finally come!"

"What has come?" Mornin asked.

"The wanted poster! Our captain has finally got his own wanted poster!" Piiman explained with smile.

"Really?" Mornin asked. He seemed a little bit worried but he couldn't help but feel little bit curious too. "May I see it?"

Boys grinned at each others.

"Tadaah!" boys shouted with smiles when Piiman gave mayor the wanted poster that promised 30 million berries from man in the poster's photograph. Mornin stared at the photograph.

"Uummm... Who is he?" Mornin asked carefully. Boys' smiles disappeared.

"What do you mean 'who is he'?" Ninjin asked. "He is our captain!"

"Are you sure?" Mornin asked as he studied the photograph of masked man. "He has a mask on his face. How do you know that it's Usopp?"

"From his nose, of course!" Tamanegi answered as he pointed at the nose of masked person.

"Well, it seem to be similar like Usopp's nose but there are lot of other people who have long nose too," Mornin remarked.

"But he is called King of Snipers and you know how great shooter our captain is!" Piiman said.

"It's true," Mornin said as he remembered those times when Usopp used to shoot the city hall's metal weathervane for fun. "But I'm still not sure if the man in this wanted poster would be Usopp."

"But we know that it's our captain," Tamanegi shouted.

"Yeah! And when we show this wanted poster to others, they will surely recognize the captain," Ninjin said with determined expression.

And so the boys left mayor and continued to run towards the village.

* * *

Shopkeeper was talking with woodcutter and shopkeeper's wife was putting products on the shelf when boys rushed into the shop.

"Our captain is in the wanted poster!" Piiman shouted so suddenly that shopkeeper's wife almost dropped cans from her arms.

"Is he again in other person's photograph?" woodcutter asked as he remembered how excited boys were when they saw the back of Usopp's head in another person's wanted poster.

"Not this time! Our captain has his own wanted poster now!" Tamanegi informed, earning surprised looks from adults.

"What? Let me see that paper," shopkeeper ordered as he reached out his hand. Piiman gave the wanted poster to shopkeeper who studied the paper with his wife and woodcutter. For a moment it was quiet in the shop but finally shopkeeper turned his attention back to boys.

"Who is this weird guy?" shopkeeper asked.

"'Weird guy'?" boys shouted with shocked expressions.

"That's our captain!" Ninjin said after he got over the shock.

"How do you know? They don't show this guy's face," woodcutter remarked.

"From his nose!" Piiman informed.

"That's not proof!" woodcutter said.

"Our captain is great shooter. That's why they gave him an epithet King of Snipers!" Tamanegi explained with determined expression.

"We know that he can hit a target but he isn't that great shooter," shopkeeper sighed.

"Besides 30 million is too much from Usopp in my opinion," shopkeeper's wife said. "He is a rascal but he would never do anything so aggravating that they should offer a bounty like this. Poor boy would be frightened."

Their skeptical attitude started to annoy boys.

"No matter what you say, it's our captain," Piiman said with defiant tone as he took the wanted poster from shopkeeper.

"We are sure that others will agree with us, even though you don't believe!" Ninjin informed.

Boys turned and left the shop with determined expressions.

* * *

Next they went to the village's restaurant. When boys arrived, cook was wiping the surface of tables, post officer was drinking a cup of coffee and bartender was reading a newspaper.

"Our captain has got his own wanted poster!" Tamanegi shouted at the restaurant's door, earning attention from everybody in the restaurant.

"Really?" bartender asked with surprised expression. "Let me see."

When Piiman gave the wanted poster to bartender and he started to study it, cook and some customers of the restaurant gathered around him to see at least a glimpse of the wanted poster.

Boys waited anxiously their reaction but they disappointed when they saw villagers' skeptical expressions.

"Who-?" post officer began but boys interrupted him.

"It's our captain," Piiman informed.

"We know it from his nose and the epithet referring to his shooting skills," Tamanegi explained.

"Are you absolutely sure?" bartender asked. "This guy... Sogeking? His name and appearance looks like he is from some kind of fictional drama. Is this a joke?"

"It isn't a joke!" Ninjin shouted. "That's our captain!"'

"Why would Usopp use a mask?" cook asked. "He lies and brags often and had caused some of mischief but he had never done something so... weird."

"That's one of ugly mask, by the way," bartender stated as he lit his cigarette and gave the paper to the nearest person.

Boys stared at villager's faces when they passed the wanted poster but nobody showed any sign that they would had recognize Usopp.

"You made this up, didn't you?" post officer said to boys. "You were disappointed because Usopp hasn't wanted poster, so you decided to claim that that guy in the wanted poster is him. Am I right?"

Boys stared at post officer with shocked expressions before their shock turned into anger.

"We didn't make this up!" Piiman shouted.

"They said in the newspaper that Sogeking is member of Straw Hat Pirates just like our captain. It must be him because our captain is the only one from that group whose face hasn't showed in wanted posters!" Tamanegi shouted.

"Maybe Usopp wasn't there when photographes were taken," cook suggested.

"You have heard from what reason that group got those wanted posters, haven't you? Usopp isn't that foolish that he would pick a fight with the World Government," post officer said.

Boys glanced at each others.

"You know what? I'm starting to get tired of this," Ninjin muttered to others.

"Yeah, me too," Tamanegi said.

Tamanegi took the wanted poster from one of villagers and boys left the restaurant without saying a word.

* * *

Boys continued walking until they sat down on the bench in the village square.

"Villagers are so thick-headed, Ninjin said.

"Yeah. They don't believe that our captain isn't just a liar and coward," Tamanegi sighed.

They sat in silence until Piiman said with serious expression: "Guys. There's only one thing we can do now."

Boys stared at each others and together they made a wordless decision. It was time to go meet one of those few people who believed in Usopp.

* * *

"It really is Usopp-san," Kaya said.

Boys almost sighed for relief. They knew that they would always rely on Kaya.

"We told to villagers that it's captain but nobody believed us," Tamanegi told.

"Fortunately at least you believe, Kaya-san," Ninjin said with smile.

Kaya smiled when boys commented how cool the mask was but deep inside of her mind she was worried.

"Usopp-san... I see that you have encountered dangerous troubles. I hope that you have somebody who will take care for your injuries during your adventures. If you are injured when you someday return home..." Kaya thought to herself. Then she rose from the fence she had sat and walked away.

"Kaya-san? Where are you going?" Piiman asked when boys noticed that Kaya was leaving.

Kaya turned to face boys again. "I'm going to continue my studies. I must become good doctor soon, so I can take care for Usopp-san if he is injured when he returns home," she explained with smile. Then Kaya continued walking away and boys decided that they will hit Usopp if he ever makes Kaya cry.

 **To be continue...**


	4. Disappearance

**News About Usopp**

 **Chapter 4**

It felt like an usual day in every way. The sun was shining, birds were singing and people of Syrup Village were working hard. But some of them couldn't enjoy this peaceful day.

Piiman, Ninjin and Tamanegi were silently sitting on the bench in the village's square. Beside Piiman there was a today's newspaper whose headline in the front page got cold sweat rise to boys' skin immediately when they had seen it:

 **Straw Hat Pirates Completely Defeated!**

An article in the front page told how Bartholomew Kuma, a member of the Shichibukai, defeated all members of Straw Hat Pirates all by himself in Sabaody Archipelago. The wanted posters of Straw Hat Pirates were also had added in the article. But what had happened to them? Were Straw Hat Pirates arrested by Marines or had they died? For boys' frustration, it wasn't told in the article.

What had happened to their captain?

"Hey... Do you think that Kaya-san will get over from this?" Ninjin asked quietly from others.

* * *

Usopp wasn't the only person boys were worried. Boys had rushed to meet Kaya in order to check that she was alright after they had read news about Straw Hat Pirates' defeat. But unfortunately guards didn't allow them to enter in the mansion.

"Ojou-sama isn't feeling well today," the guard with beard informed to boys at the gate. "That's why we must ask you to leave, please."

"That's not fair!" Piiman shouted. "At least let us see if she is alright!"

"Ojou-sama has said that she doesn't want meet anyone today," the guard with slicked back hair said with stern tone. "So leave, please."

Finally boys hadn't other choices but to leave, no matter how worried they were from Kaya.

* * *

"What's wrong, boys?"

Boys started out of their thoughts and noticed that Mornin was standing in front of them.

"You seem so depressed that something must be wrong. What's the matter?" Mornin asked with worried expression.

"It... It's about this article in the front page," Piiman said quietly as he gave the newspaper to mayor.

Mornin read the article and he frowned for worry. "Oh no..." he said.

"They don't even tell what happened to Straw Hat Pirates, so we don't know is captain alright or not," Tamanegi said frustratedly.

"You are right," Mornin said with serious expression. "This article really doesn't tell what happened to them."

"What has happened and to whom?" asked pastor's wife curiously as she and her husband happened to walk past of them.

"We were talking about that pirate group Usopp joined," Mornin explained. "Apparently they disappeared after losing a fight to one of Shichibukais."

Pastor's wife gasped in shock and covered her mouth with her hand. Pastor's eyes widened from shock. "That's horrible! Is Usopp alright?" pastor asked.

"I don't know. The article doesn't tell what happened to them after the fight," Mornin answered. "But I'm sure that Usopp is alright. He is quick on his feet."

Boys sighed in relief after hearing this, happy that here was somebody who believed that their captain was alive.

"I don't think it helps in any way," remarked fisherman who had heard their conversation. "That Shichibukai probably killed them and disposed their corpses. It's possible that Usopp has already buried under the ground."

Boys, mayor, pastor and his wife stared at fisherman with shocked expressions.

"It isn't true!" Piiman shouted as he rose from the bench. "It can't be true!"

"Captain can't be dead!" Tamanegi shouted on the verge of tears.

"But pirates kill each others constantly," fisherman argued just when shopkeeper happened to walk past of them.

"Has that idiot get himself killed already?" shopkeeper asked.

"No!" boys shouted in unision. "Captain isn't dead!"

"But how could he had survive when they were facing the Shichibukai of the World Government?" pastor asked with worried expression.

"Oh, why he had to ruin his life?" pastor's wife groaned mournfully.

"This is what you get when you dream about stupid things like being a pirate," shopkeeper said darkly.

"He should had stayed at home and learn to do something useful," fisherman snorted.

"That's enough!" Mornin shouted, startling them. "The article doesn't tell what had happened to Usopp and his friends after the fight, so it's possible that Usopp is still alive! Stop speaking like he would actually be dead!"

Fisherman opened his mouth to say something but Mornin silenced him with stern look. Pastor, his wife, fisherman and shopkeeper glanced at each others for a moment before they left and returned back to their works.

* * *

But without others knowing, shopkeeper paused after he had walked behind a corner of one building. "That stupid brat..." he muttered as he wiped a corner of his eye.

* * *

Boys sat back on the bench.

"Captain is alright, isn't he?" Tamanegi asked from mayor.

"Just like I said earlier, the article doesn't tell that they would be dead, so it's possible that Usopp and his friends are still alive." Mornin said.

"I agree."

Mornin and boys turned in the direction of voice and noticed Merry.

"Merry!" Piiman exclaimed. "Is Kaya-san alright?"

"We tried to visit her earlier but the guards didn't let us in the mansion," Ninjin told.

"I know. They told me that you had visited earlier and I really appreciate your concern towards Kaya-sama," Merry said as he sat down on the bench. "Unfortunately the article shocked her so badly that she needed some rest."

"But Kaya-san will be alright, right?" Tamanegi asked.

Merry sighed mournfully. "I really would like to say that everything will be alright but... After reading the article Kaya-sama seemed so depressed that I'm afraid that she will fall sick again. And when I remember how little I was able to do for her during her previous illness..." Merry said with unhappy expression as he hung his head.

Boys and Mornin stared at Merry with worried expressions.

"Kaya-san mustn't become unhappy again!" Piiman said.

"Yeah, but captain isn't here cheering her up anymore," Ninjin said.

"And we can't bring captain back here because we don't know what had happened to him," Tamanegi sighed.

"That's exactly why!" Merry said suddenly, startling both boys and mayor.

"We can't do anything to help Usopp. Only thing we can do is believe. Believe that Usopp is alright and that he will come back. Kaya-sama too needs to believe in it and only you can help," Merry said with determined expression. "That's why I'm asking you to support Kaya-sama. Please. For the sake of both her and Usopp."

Boys stared at Merry for a moment. Then Tamanegi said to others: "Merry is right. Kaya-san needs us."

"That's true! And we know that our captain can survive for any situations," Ninjin said. "Surely he is alive!"

"Captain would be ashamed of us if we wouldn't take care of Kaya-san!" Piiman confirmed.

Boys turned to face Merry again. "Let's go visit Kaya-san now!" they decided. Merry smiled gratefully to boys.

"Well, looks like it's time for me to return back to my work," Mornin said with smile and gave the newspaper back to Piiman. "Say hi to Kaya-san from me."

"Yes, mayor Mornin," boys answered in unision before they left towards the mansion with Merry.

* * *

Soon they had arrived to the mansion and Merry guided them to the door of Kaya's room. Merry knocked the door and said with audible voice: "Kaya-sama. Boys have come to meet you."

Without waiting her response, Merry opened the door and let boys in the room. Kaya was sitting on the chair and watching out of the window.

"Hello, Kaya-san," boys said.

"Hello, boys," Kaya answered quietly as she turned her attention from window to boys. Boys noticed immediately how unhappy Kaya looked.

"You don't need worry about captain! He will be alright!" Piiman said as he tried to sound convincing.

"That's right! He fought well against Kuro's pirate group!" Ninjin said.

"This is completely different!" Kaya exclaimed, startling boys. Then she turned her eyes at her hands on her lap. "I'm hoping that Usopp-san and his friends are alright. But their opponent was a Shichibukai, much stronger pirate than Kuro. I... I'm so worried about them," Kaya said.

"Don't you believe in captain, Kaya-san?" Ninjin demanded.

"Of course I believe in Usopp-san but-" Kaya began as she turned to face boys again.

"Just like the mayor and Merry said, the article didn't say that captain and his friends would be dead!" Piiman said.

"Yeah! Maybe they must had retreat after their fight with that Shichibukai and they are now hiding somewhere. Captain is good at hiding," Tamanegi said.

"Listen them, Kaya-sama," Merry said to Kaya. "If they would be dead, it would had been told in the newspaper, especially after that what happened in Enies Lobby. But because nothing like that had been written, it's very possible that Usopp and his friends are still alive."

"That's right! So believe in captain, Kaya-san!" Piiman said.

Kaya stared speechlessly at them for moment. Then she smiled little bit.

"Boys... Merry... Thank you," Kaya said. "And sorry. I know that Usopp-san is strong but maybe I was just thinking that it wouldn't hurt so much when they decide to announce news about their demise if I assume that the worst has happened. But you are right. I can't believe that I allowed myself lost my faith in Usopp-san."

Although Kaya was smiling little bit, boys noticed that she looked still a little bit depressed. They should do something else to cheer her up. Then Tamanegi got an idea.

"Kaya-san, has you ever heard how Usopp Pirates were formed?" Tamanegi asked.

"Well, I don't know all the details," Kaya answered.

"In that case we will tell you about it," Tamanegi said with smile as boys sat down on other chairs. Merry smiled and left boys to tell Kaya about adventures of Usopp Pirates as he went to the kitchen to prepare tea and biscuits for them.

 **To be continue...**


	5. Return

**News About Usopp**

 **Chapter 5**

"The pirates are coming!"

Villagers paused for a moment when Piiman, Ninjin and Tamanegi ran through the village, shouting that pirates were coming. Again.

"Are they still continuing that?" fisherman sighed.

"The pirates are coming!"

"They have shouted that for two years now," pastor noted to his wife as he shook his head.

"The pirates are coming!"

"Stop that!" shopkeeper shouted from the door of shop and waved the broom in threatening manner.

"Yeah! What reason do you have to continue that?" woodcutter shouted.

But the boys didn't listen them. They continued running until they stopped at the square of the village. Then they shouted so loudly that everybody would hear them: "Captain has returned!"

If their earlier shouting about pirates didn't get attention from everybody in the village, now they had got their undivided attention.

"Captain and his friends returned to Sabaody Archipelago alive!" Tamanegi shouted with smile as he flourished the today's newspaper in his hand.

All villagers of Syrup had heard news that Straw Hat Pirates had disappeared after losing the fight against a member of the Shichibukai, Bartholomew Kuma. The only member who was known to be alive after that fight was the captain, Straw Hat Luffy, who had visited in the Marineford to pay respect to the memory of the fallen of the Battle of Marineford before he disappeared. But nothing was known about Syrup Village's liar Usopp. Some of villagers believed that he was dead but some of them, especially Piiman, Ninjin, Tamanegi, Kaya and Merry, believed that Usopp was still alive.

"Really?" cobbler exclaimed. "May I see it?"

Tamanegi gave the newspaper to cobbler with wide grin. Bartender, wife of pastor and many others gathered around cobbler to see the article.

"It really is Usopp," cobbler said with with smile.

"Oh, thank goodness he is alright," pastor's wife sighed in relief.

"Good. I miss his noisiness a little bit," bartneder grinned.

Cobbler gave the newspaper to woodcutter who frowned as he read the article. "Why are they calling Usopp to Sogeking?"

"Maybe that Sogeking guy left the group and now they are mistakenly thinking that Usopp would be him," bartender said and shrugged.

Piiman, Ninjin and Tamanegi glanced at each others and rolled their eyes. It was not worth to try explain something that villagers stubbornly refused to believe.

"I knew it!" shopkeeper exclaimed when woodcutter had given the newspaper to him and he had read the article. "I knew this whole time that the brat was just hiding somewhere. He isn't that foolhardy that he would fight to death with the Shichibukai."

"Stop pretending. I know that you were worried when you heard that Usopp had gone missing," shopkeeper's wife teased.

"Me? Worried about that brat? As if I would ever be worried about him!" shopkeeper exclaimed to his wife but she just laughed.

"I'm relieved that Usopp is alive," pastor said after he had read the article over shopkeeper's shoulder, "but I had already designed an eulogy for him."

Shopkeeper gave the newspaper to fisherman while he tried to insist to his wife that he was never worried about Usopp.

"Looks like they managed to escape from local marines," fisherman noted.

"Of course! They had no chance against captain and his friends," Piiman said with proud expression.

"Captain has surely become much stronger!" Ninjin said eagerly.

"In other words, Usopp isn't planning to return home but instead he will continue chasing after his stupid dream," fisherman said as he gave the newspaper to mayor Mornin. Boys stared angrily at fisherman.

"Don't call captain's dream stupid!" Piiman said sternly.

"He seems to have grown up notably during these two years," Mornin remarked with smile when he saw the photograph of Usopp. Then he turned to face boys again. "By the way, does Kaya-sama know about this? She was very worried about Usopp's disappearance, wasn't she?"

"Yes, she knows. We told her about the news before we came here," Ninjin answered.

"She was very relieved when she heard that captain is alright," Tamanegi told.

"She even decided that we should celebrate this together in the mansion," Piiman said with smile.

Mornin smiled. "I'm happy to hear that."

* * *

"Kaya-chan! You look so beautiful today!"

"Kaya-chan! I brought flowers for you!"

"Kaya-chan! Would you go to tea with me?"

"Kaya-sama is busy at the moment so I need ask you to leave, please," Merry said sternly while Kaya was studying at the table. Normally Merry would had already kick these pests out but he had decide to restrain himself because Kaya was very good mood today. But young men didn't pay any attention to Kaya's servant.

"Kaya-chan! Would you go to a walk with me?" one of suitors asked.

"That's ridiculous! Kaya-chan, would we go to a carriage ride together?" the other asked.

"You miser! Kaya-chan! My family has a magnificent luxury vessel. It would be honor to offer you a boat ride," the third offered with charming smile which was unnoticed by Kaya.

Merry was starting to lose his temper to these young men. He had ask them to leave multiple times today but they still continued expressing their admiration and asking for dates although they clearly see that Kaya was studying. Merry was ready to forget his earlier decision to restrain himself when suddenly he heard book being closed behind him. Merry glanced over his shoulder and noticed Kaya rising from the table.

Kaya turned to face her suitors and said politely: "I thank you for your offers. This is very important day for me because I have learned that my dear friend who went missing had returned."

"In that case I will offer you a dinner in the finest restaurant of this island!" the fourth suitor offered.

"Kaya-chan! My family is arranging a party this week! You can celebrate these news at the same time!" the fifth suggested.

"Those are great news, Kaya-chan!" the sixth suitor said in flattering manner.

"Yes, it is. I'm so happy that he is alright," Kaya said with smile.

Shocked expression spread among suitors.

" _He?_ "they gasped in unision.

"That's right. Kaya-sama's missing friend is a young man," Merry confirmed, shocking suitors even more.

"I have decided that I will celebrate these news here with my friends," Kaya told. "That's why I'm sorry but I have to refuse your offers. Merry, escort these gentlemen out, please."

"With pleasure, Kaya-sama," Merry answered with smile and bowed. He pushed gently shocked young men out of Kaya's workroom and closed the door behind him, leaving his mistress alone in the room.

Kaya took the today's newspaper to her hands and stared Usopp's photograph with smile.

"Usopp-san," Kaya thought to herself. "I was so worried about you when you and your friends went missing two years ago. I already feared the worst but thankfully boys and Merry encouraged me to maintain hope. You have already left to New World and you will surely face many dangerous enemies. I hope that you will someday return back home alive and when that day comes, I'm ready to take care for all your wounds if you are injured. Because I have become stronger, thanks to you."

 **To be continue...**


	6. God

**News About Usopp**

 **Chapter 6**

Kaya was on her way to medical school. The morning was sunny and warm and it made her happy. It felt very promising start for a new day.

"Kaya-san!"

Kaya stopped when she heard her name being shouted and the she noticed Piiman, Ninjin and Tamanegi running towards her while holding some papers in their hands.

"Good morning, boys," Kaya greeted them with smile when boys stopped in front of her but she couldn't help but feel a little bit worried. Something unusual must had happened because it seemed that boys had run all the way to tell her about it.

"Kaya-san! Have you seen new wanted posters of Straw Hat Pirates?" Tamanegi asked.

"New wanted posters?" Kaya asked as she felt her heart began to beat a little bit faster. "Is Usopp-san...?"

"Yes! Look!" Piiman exclaimed and showed the paper in his hand to Kaya.

"Oh!" Kaya gasped.

It really was Usopp's wanted poster. The poster promised 200 million berries from long nosed young man who had the nickname God Usopp.

"Captain... Captain has finally got the wanted poster he deserves! Isn't this great?" Ninjin asked proudly as tears ran over his face. Piiman and Tamanegi smiled proudly and tearfully as well.

"This is wonderful. I'm so happy for him," Kaya said with happy smile and patted Piiman on his head as he wiped his eyes. "Usopp-san is becoming a great pirate."

"Villagers must see this!" Tamanegi said to his friends and ran towards the village.

"Tamanegi is right! We must tell them about this!" Ninjin confirmed before he also left to run towards the village.

"After this villagers can't underestimate our captain's skills!" Piiman said to Kaya.

"Yes, you are right," Kaya answered with smile.

After Piiman had left too, Kaya stood still for a moment. Although she was happy to get news about her dear friend and see that he was courageously following his dream, Kaya was very worried after she saw the photograph of half dead looking Usopp. He really was going to need a good doctor.

"I promise you, Usopp-san. I will be a fully learned doctor next time we meet," Kaya thought to herself with determined expression before she continued walking towards the school.

* * *

Piiman ran until he arrived to the shop. Then he rushed inside and asked with loud voice: "Have you heard news about captain?"

Seamstress and shopkeeper's wife, who were talking together while shopkeeper's wife was packing seamstress' purchases into the paper bag, stared at Piiman with questioning expressions. Pharmacist, who was shopping just then, also stared curiously at the boy. Only shopkeeper who was arranging products on the shelves looked bored.

"What now?" shopkeeper asked.

"Captain has got a new wanted poster!" Piiman said proudly.

"Oh, really?" shopkeeper's wife asked with tone which told that she didn't believe the boy.

"I'm serious! Look!" Piiman said and gave the paper to shopkeeper.

Shopkeeper stared at the wanted poster for a while before he started reacting. First his eyes widened from shock and then he gaped wordlessly like a fish on dry land.

"Dear?" shopkeeper's wife asked carefully as she walked to her husband.

Unable to say anything, shopkeeper gave the wanted poster to his wife. She took the paper and studied it with pharmacist and seamstress. And then their eyes widened from shock too.

"Oh my goodness!" seamstress gasped.

"Isn't this great? Captain really has surpassed himself!" Piiman said.

"Great?" shopkeeper shouted after he had got back his ability to speak. "What's great about this? The bounty is huge! What had Usopp done there? And that nickname! God? What cause did Marines have for giving these nicknames?"

"Because captain is amazing," Piiman suggested.

"Phooey! They should call him Nuisance. It would reflect him perfectly," shopkeeper snorted as he ignored Piiman's offended expression.

"Usopp looks horrible. It's like he had hitted repeatedly into the tile wall," pharmacist said worriedly and shopkeeper's wife nodded.

"It's not over yet! Captain will gather more reputation and then he will surely get a bigger bounty some day!" Piiman said eagerly.

"That's what I'm afraid of," shopkeeper muttered.

* * *

Meanwhile Ninjin had arrived to the village's bar. Some of villagers just glanced at the door when Ninjin rushed inside the bar but most of them just continued their drinking and talking without paying any attention to him.

"What is it, Ninjin?" bartender asked as he cleaned a glass. "Your shift will not start until after a couple of hours."

"Check this out!" Ninjin said and placed the paper on the counter. "It's our captain's wanted poster!"

Bartender placed the glass on the counter and took the paper in his hand. First his eyes widened from surprise but then grin appeared to his face.

"Well, look at this," bartender said and walked from behind the counter to the table where fisherman and woodcutter were drinking.

Bartender placed the paper next to them and grinned at fisherman. "You owe me 500 berries. Usopp didn't get the nickname Window Breaker."

"What-?" fisherman wondered and took the wanted poster to his hand to study it. After reading it his jaw almost fall on the floor.

"What? Let me see it," woodcutter said and took the paper from fisherman's hands. He read the wanted poster and then he turned to face bartender and Ninjin who were standing next to their table. "God Usopp?" woodcutter asked with loud voice, earning other villagers attention. "And 200 million bounty? What kind of lie he has made this time?"

"Apparently something very high flown," bartender chuckled.

"I'm sure that captain hasn't made any lies this time," Ninjin said with determined expression as he took the paper from woodcutter and gave it to another villager who was curious to see the wanted poster. "He surely had earned his nickname and bounty by his own actions."

"But... 200 million?" said dumbfounded fisherman who had returned back to reality while Usopp's wanted poster was passed around and people reacted with voices of surprise, amusement and disapproval. "What has he done?"

"Let me see..." bartender said suddenly with serious expression as he took today's newspaper from the nearest table and studied the front page. "Apparently Usopp and his friends overthrew Doflamingo, the king of Dressrosa, who also was a member of Shichibukai. Piracy, extremely dangerous tournaments, black markets... Scary guy."

Bartender gave the newspaper to fisherman who frowned after reading the article. "I think that word 'scary' is too mild to reflect this man. After all he tried to kill everybody in Dressrosa," fisherman remarked, then he sighed. "And Usopp and his friends goes to pick a fight with men like this."

"I'm sure that captain will be alright. He has become very strong," Ninjin said with trusting smile.

"Let's hope so..." woodcutter said as he exchanged unsure glances with fisherman and bartender.

* * *

When Tamanegi arrived to the post office, post officer was giving the package to pastor's wife and mayor Mornin and his wife were waiting their turn in order to send some letters.

"Oh, Tamanegi," Mornin greeted him when he noticed the boy entering into the post office. "Did your parents send you to get something?"

"No. I came to show this," Tamanegi informed cheerfully and showed them Usopp's wanted poster.

Adults stared at the wanted poster with shocked expressions.

"Oh no! What kind of troubles that poor boy had encountered when he had end up in that condition?" mayor's wife wondered worriedly.

"He looks like he is dying," pastor's wife fretted.

"And they gave him quite big bounty," Mornin remarked. "That boy really had taken a big step forward in piracy."

"Yeah! Captain is going forward in his dream to become a brave warrior of the sea," Tamanegi said with proud expression and turned to face post officer. "Can I put this on the bulletin board?"

Post officer stared at Tamanegi with serious expression.

"You seem to be very proud of Usopp," post officer said. "But do you have any idea from what reason he got that wanted poster?"

"Of course I know! Captain and his friends defeated an evil Shichibukai," Tamanegi said. "So, can I put this on the bulletin board?"

"Listen now," post officer said impatiently. "According to the newspaper the defeated Shichibukai was a bloodthirsty king who was involved in many black markets. Guys like him have always friends who are as dangerous as them. Usopp is in dangerous waters now."

Mornin, his wife and pastor's wife looked very worried but Tamanegi just said: "I'm not worried about captain. He is very strong and so are his friends."

"Hopefully they are but how about us?" post officer asked. "If Usopp's reputation keep growing, then his enemies will search information about him and then pirates and Marine soldiers will come here. Especially I'm worried about Kaya-sama. If somebody learns that Kaya-sama was Usopp's friend and that she gave a ship to Usopp's pirate friends then she will be in trouble."

After hearing this Tamanegi stopped smiling.

* * *

Later on the same day boys met each others at the village square.

"Villagers were really surprised when they saw captain's wanted poster, weren't they?" Piiman asked from his friends.

"Yes, they were," Ninjin said but then he added: "But they were also very worried because captain and his friends defeated so dangerous guy."

"Yeah. Post officer said that that defeated Shichibukai may have dangerous friends," Tamanegi told.

"But they can survive against anybody, don't they?" Ninjin asked.

"Of course!" Piiman exclaimed.

"But post officer said also that if captain's enemies come here then Kaya-san will be in danger," Tamanegi said with serious expression.

Piiman and Ninjin stared worriedly at Tamanegi for a moment and then they fell into their thoughts.

Who would protect Kaya if Usopp's enemies decide to target her? Merry has no problem to deal with suitors but his chances against hostile pirates and Marine soldiers would be nonexistent if they would decide to attack.

"We must protect Kaya-san," Piiman said. Others nodded in agreement.

"But we can't beat guys like them in fight," Tamanegi remarked as he remembered how quickly they lost to that hypnotist who had threatened Kaya's life. "We can only help her to hide."

"But if we can't protect Kaya-san," Ninjin said, "then captain will surely come to rescue her. He would never let anything bad happen to us or Kaya-san."

Piiman and Tamanegi glanced at each others and then they smiled to Ninjin.

"You are right," Piiman said. "If somebody would hurt us or Kaya-san, captain would defeat them."

Their mood rose with these words. They were sure that if something would happen to them or Kaya, Usopp would come to rescue them. Boys left with happy and trusting mind to the village's restaurant in order to celebrate their captain's achievement.

 **To be continue (someday)...**

* * *

 **Because I know that Usopp and other Straw Hat Pirates will get new bounties somewhere in the future, I will keep the status of this story "in-progress". But I will not update this story for a while.**


End file.
